The present invention relates to mechanisms for changing the format, including frame size and shape, of pictures taken in a camera.
Modern compact cameras are sometimes equipped with a mechanism to change the format of an exposed frame by masking part of a full frame opening at the film plane. "Format", in this case, is defined as the shape and size of an exposed frame. A wide, narrow format is commonly referred to as "panoramic" format, and conventional masking mechanisms are capable of masking top and bottom sides of a full frame area to achieve the panoramic format.
However, the conventional mechanisms are limited to the single panoramic format, and are not capable of masking the sides as well as the top and bottom, to provide a greater range of selectable formats.